English 24
15st March 2003
A little bit of GRAMMAR

Here we are again with comparisons. This week we mentioned "..as…..as/than…". So here are the rules and some practice exercises to get your teeth into…..

a. You can use "…. as …… as …." (but not "..so… as") in positive sentences.
§ I'm sorry I got here late. I got here as fast as I could.
§ There's plenty of food. So eat as much as you like.
§ Let's walk to the cinema. It's just as quick as getting the tram.
§ Can you tell me as soon as possible please.

b.You can also say twice as …..; three times as … as..
§ Petrol is three times as expensive as it was a few years ago.
§ This year the cost of living is twice as high as it was last year.

c. You can also use not as ….as …:
§ Emma isn't as old as she looks. (Emma looks older than she is)
§ This morning the underground wasn't as crowded as it usually is.
§ Sarah didn't do as well in the interview as she had hoped.
§ The weather isn't as warm as yesterday, is it?
§ I don't know Simon as well as you do.
§ Harry isn't as old as Jack.
§ I'm not as rich as you.

d. We say "the same as" (not the same like):
§ Your jacket is the same as mine
§ I'm the same age as Sam.
§ What car are you buying this time? The same as the last one.
§ What would you like to drink? The same as before

Practice exercises

Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences using as…..as…
e.g. I'm quite rich, but you are richer. I'm not as rich as you.
Joanne studies hard but she used to study much harder.
Joanne doesn't study as hard as she used to.

1. I know a bit about classical music but my brother knows more.
1b. I don't __________________________________________.
1. He used to smoke more than he does now.
2b. He doesn't________________________________________.
2. I've lived here for quite a long time, but Anna has lived here even longer.
3b. I haven't_________________________________________.
4. I still don't feel too good but I feel much better than I did
yesterday.
4b. I don't ___________________________________________.
5. You mortgage is higher than mine.
5b. My mortgage ______________________________________.
6. My sister is older than your brother.
6b. Your brother_______________________________________.

*mortgage: mutuo

Exercise 2
Rewrite these sentences so that they have the same meaning.
e.g. James is older than he looks. James isn't as young as he looks.

1.I don't go to the cinema very often anymore.
1b. I don't go ________________________.
2.The maths exam was easier than we expected.
2b. The maths exam_____________________.
3.The weather is colder than it was last month.
3b. The weather ________________________.
4.My new salary is less than my old one.
4b. My new salary ___________________________.
5. The hotel was cheaper than I thought.
5b. The hotel _____________________________.
6. There were fewer people at the party than we expected.
6b. There weren't ____________________________.

Exercise 3
Complete the following sentences using just as with one of the words below:
bad quick nice good

1. How come he got the job? I'm ___________he is.
2. Let's get the tram today, it's ___________using the car.
3. Why don't you buy this one? It's __________the last one.
4. I thought his new book would be better, but it's ______the others.

Answers

Exercise 1
1. I don't know as much about classical music as my brother does.
2.He doesn't smoke as much as he used to.
3.I haven't lived here as long as Anna has.
4. I don't feel as bad as I did yesterday.
5.My mortgage isn't as high as yours.
6.Your brother isn't as old as my sister.
Exercise 2
1. I don't got to the cinema as often as I used to.
2. The maths exam wasn't as difficult as we expected.
3. The weather isn't as warm as it was last month.
4. My new salary isn't as high as my old one.
5. The hotel wasn't as expensive as I thought.
6. There weren't as many people at the party as we had expected.
Exercise 3
1. just as good as
2. just as quick as
3. just as nice as
4. just as bad as